Prominent businessman gives Humber oganisations vital message

ONE of the most influential businessmen in East Yorkshire has called on businesses and organisations to work together to harness the benefits of being in the Humber region. 

The chairman of Hull and East Yorkshire Bondholders, which aims to raise the profile of the area and attract investment, is urging businesses and organisations to collaborate.

Peter Aarosin, the managing director of Goole-based Danbrit Holdings and Danbrit Shipping and chief executive of RMS Group, which has port operations in Hull, Goole, Immingham, Grimsby and Scunthorpe, took over the role in the private sector-led organisation earlier this year, replacing Jim Dick, the former Smith & Nephew executive.

Now, Mr Aarosin is launching a push to get Humber businesses and organisations to promote the area as a whole, in order to highlight its vast potential. He said he is confident this collaboration will result in a surge of inward investment.

“My goal now is to get a total co-ordination with all the organisations in the Humber,” Mr Aarosin said.

“I want there to be much greater co-operation, which will allow us to create a proper brand for the Humber, rather than each location just focusing on itself.”

The region is eagerly awaiting further news on the Siemens deal at Green Port Hull and Grimsby’s Able UK Marine Energy Park. Hull has also recently welcomed the opening of the £350m Vivergo plant and Mr Aarosin said now is a great time for businesses in the area to work together.

“I have never known it so exciting in the Humber as it is at the moment and I’ve never known such a willingness of people trying to work together,” he said.

“We just need to make sure it happens. We need to do it, not just talk about it.”

Mr Aarosin, who also chairs the marketing board of the Humber LEP, said there needs to be more interaction between organisations, such as the local authorities and Chamber of Commerce, to ensure each can work effectively together and use their strengths to benefit the whole area.

He believes this is the way to attract more business to the Humber and therefore, enhance the region.

“We have got to attract the interest into the Humber. Once businesses want to come here, then there is the decision of where in the Humber that business should go,” Mr Aarosin said.

“The more we can get our name out there the more business we can bring in and there will be enough to bring enough to go around the whole area. We have got to get over this focusing only on your own area.

“It’s vital we get our Humber brand out there, from a local perspective, national and international one.

“Once we get this up and running our brand will get the momentum on its own. It will be fantastic.”

Mr Aarosin’s ideas of collaboration have been mirrored by ABP, which is a business already operating in all areas of the Humber.

Matt Jukes, ABP port director, Hull, Goole and Humber Estuary Services, said:
“As a company whose sites and customers span the Humber, we appreciate the advantages and opportunities offered by our excellent location. This means that both ABP and the many companies operating at our ports can provide a range of services that simply cannot be matched elsewhere.

“You only have to look at the investments in renewable energy that are planned and, in many cases, already being made – the £100m pan-Humber investment for Drax is a good example – to realise that the Humber region has something very special to offer and by working together we can demonstrate our capabilities much more effectively.”